


on this winter night with you

by siojo



Series: Werewolf Au [3]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Cold Weather, Cuddling & Snuggling, Hot Chocolate, M/M, Moving In Together, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 15:22:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21138887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siojo/pseuds/siojo
Summary: Ace likes when the weather takes a turn for the cold and the way the forests starts to quiet, even if he doesn't always hibernate with them.





	on this winter night with you

Ace hums softly, leaning against the wall as he watches the fog rolling in from between the trees, sweater pulled over his hands to avoid the cold that came from touching the windows as the trees whisper about frost coming soon and the wind whistles through the trees.

“That,” Marco states, smiling warmly as he steps closer, holding out a mug of hot chocolate, “is my sweater. I know, because Shanks had them specially made for the department.”

“It’s bright pink,” Ace says, smiling easily as he shifts to the side to let Marco join him in the window seat, leaning against his side once he’s settled in. “And it says canine unit, why would Shanks give you a sweater that only says that?”

Marco sighs, rolling his eyes, “I’m the canine unit, Ace. Both the officer and the dog, according to him, it’s a joke he’s been using for years now. Smoker has one that labels him the arson investigator. Which didn’t go over well with the actual arson investigator, who already doesn’t like Shanks after the comment he made about the fire department. And Tashigi’s was stolen by one of Luffy’s friends when it declared her the department’s sword expert.”

“What does Smoker do?” Ace asks curiously, already knowing exactly which of Luffy’s friends has stolen Tashigi’s sweater. Zoro took being the best and an expert seriously, but Ace was pretty sure there was more to the story than that, even if Marco didn’t know it himself.

“He does smoke. Now drink your hot chocolate before it gets cold, neither of us are capable of reheating it without effort. And it would destroy the marshmallows.”

Ace laughs, taking a sip and wiggling even closer as he tries to adjust the way the collar pressed against his throat, just a little too tight to be entirely comfortable, “Thanks,” he says, trying to chase a marshmallow to the edge of the mug, “sorry I was planning to do things today, including grocery shopping, but it’s so quiet out there and I guess I wasn’t ready for it.”

“Ace, you don’t have to explain yourself. We talked about this before now. You’re not going to hibernate through the winter, are you?” Marco asks, burying his feet under the pillow on the other side of the window seat, relaxed beside him.

He sounds concerned and it makes Ace’s chest feel warm as he yawns, feeling the weight of the trees and plants going to sleep as the days become colder. The only ones that sound pleased with the shift in temperature, just as exuberant as they had been in the spring, were the evergreens, loud enough to almost make up for the change. A constant chatter that never rose in volume, unlike the rest of the forest’s sounds.

Ace smiles into his mug as Marco’s arm wraps around his shoulders, hand warm around his bicep, his thumb sliding over the sleeve thoughtlessly, “I’m going to stay awake. It’s, I could sleep. I’ve done it before, but I think that I would rather stay here with you. If you don’t mind.”

“It’s your house, for all that I spend more time here than I do at my own place.”

“You could just move in.”

Marco coughs, choking on his drink as he pushes his mug into Ace’s hands, trying to catch his breath, “Seriously?”

“We’ve been dating a while and you’re not wrong, you spend so much time here that your brother called me the other day to ask if I had seen you recently because he’s been going around to see you and hasn’t met up with you yet,” Ace shrugs lopsidedly to keep the mugs balanced, feeling uncomfortable the longer Marco watches him without answering. “I couldn’t remember the last time you weren’t here, but if that’s not how moving in works, you don’t have to.”

“You don’t know how it works,” Marco says slowly, still clearing his throat. “Really?”

“People lived together differently before. My dad had, has it’s mine now, a castle somewhere and when he lived there it was with his friend and his friend’s wife and the servants and a cousin or something. It wasn’t strange to have several generations of a family living together with their spouses, depending on what side of the family could afford to have them.”

“Not to mention guests?”

“So many guests. But the media paints it differently now, I’ve been reading up on media portrayals and influences on culture, Robin’s been pointing me to things since I was confused by some things that I was seeing. There’s weird ideas about moving out now.”

Marco huffs a laugh, burying his nose in Ace’s hair like he always does when he has the chance, “Culture is different now. Moving in together during a romantic relationship is supposed to show commitment, I think,” Ace hums, waiting a long moment for him to continue. “You want me to move in?”

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t,” Ace agrees, smiling happily as Marco sighs, relaxing as if he had been expecting Ace to have been confused by the idea. “I like having you here with me. It’s nice.”

“If we’re going to live together, I’m going to have to change my home address on my official records,” Marco sighs. “Shanks is going to laugh himself sick. And win the office bet.”

Ace snorts, dissolving into laughter as Marco steals his mug back, “There’s an office bet?”

“Shanks thought it was funny. Smoker thought you weren’t real for two months and Tashigi was certain that you were a witch or a shifter of some kind. He said that once they knew you were real it was time to start a bet. Thatch thinks we’re going to move into my place.”

“Your place is nice?”

“You don’t have to pretend, I know you hate it.”

“I don’t hate it, it’s just,” Ace shrugs lightly, setting his cup on one of the shelves and frowning as the woods starts to get darker when the sun finally set. “It’s like the town. I like to visit and I like people. The comforts of it and the stores are things I enjoy, but I don’t want to live there.”

“And I love the woods, living here is something that I would love to do,” Marco smiles, pressing a kiss to Ace’s hair. “I would like to move in together. If you really mean it.”

“Why would I say something I don’t mean?” Ace asks, tilting his head to the side. “That seems like a lot of effort for something that I don’t need to do.”

Marco hums, warm as he pulls Ace closer and rests his chin on Ace’s shoulder, “I love you.”

“I love you too, but we aren’t using your couch.”

“That is not what I was trying to do.”

Ace hums, relaxing back against him with a sigh, humming the newest song whispered between the trees, a lullaby to sleep and prepare for growth again later, “I know. I really do love you. Even if I hate your couch.”

Marco huffs, yawning into Ace’s shoulder, “You’re just saying that because it folds out into a bed and you think it’s offensive.”

“Marco that mattress can’t be supportive enough for anyone’s back. I don’t care if it’s only for short term use, I have enough rooms in this house not to need something as dangerous as a folding bed.”

“It’s cute that you think that’s the only kind of bed like that.”

Ace yawns, “Don’t wanna know, Marco. Bad enough couches fold up into beds, what next? Bookshelves?”

“They do too.”

“I hate that.”

“I know,” Marco hums happily, arms squeezing Ace closer. “We’ll have to make choices about furniture and things. I think we can both agree we can fit my books and electronics without issue.”

“Hm,” Ace agrees softly. “Your brother could help move everything. We might be able to convince Luffy too.”

“We could. Would be faster with more help. Pops might show up too, you know he always seems to know when something interesting is happening.”

Ace yawns, closing his eyes as Marco hums softly, “Should probably plan later. When we’ve got a date picked out.”

“I think you’re right,” Marco agrees, sighing tiredly. “We should probably go to bed, it’s getting late. And I might not have work tomorrow, but I’m sure Shanks is going to call about something that he wants done.”

“Or about another stray?”

“That’s not even fair, I haven’t run loose through town since you let me stay here with you during the full moons. I like it here. There’s a whole forest to explore and a house to rest in. Not to mention, you don’t mind scratching behind my ears when I don’t have thumbs.”

“Even if I leave you to clean up the mud that you drag into my house?”

“Even then,” Marco promises softly. “Want to go to bed?”

“Mhm, not yet. Think we can stay here just a little while longer?” Ace asks hopefully, wiggling to get more comfortable. “Just until it’s darker?”

Marco nods, breathing out through his nose heavily as he closes his eyes, “I’m not carrying you to bed if you fall asleep here, Ace.”

“Yes you would.”

“I would,” Marco agrees softly. “Make lunch tomorrow?”

“Deal.”


End file.
